The field of the invention is orthodontics.
Dentists, orthodontists in particular, often use orthodontic hardware such as brackets and archwires in the prevention or correction of irregularities of the teeth. An orthodontic bracket is generally a metal or ceramic part fastened to a tooth to serve as a means for fastening an archwire. An archwire is a metal wire that is attached to the brackets to move the teeth of a patient in a manner desired by the patient""s dentist. In treating a patient, a dentist will generally use a standard set of 24-28 brackets and 1 archwire engaged into these brackets to apply the forces needed for tooth movement.
Archwires generally vary in regard to shape, size, and type of wire used. In previously known methods, initial selection of an archwire is typically accomplished by examination of a patient""s teeth to determine what size and shape of archwire would be appropriate for that patient. In many instances, the shape to be used is determined by looking at the shape formed by the occlusal surfaces of the teeth, or by looking at the shape formed by the labial and buccal surfaces of the teeth. Unfortunately, determining an appropriate shape by looking at the occlusal or the labial and buccal surfaces of a patient""s teeth does not always result in selection of the optimum archwire shape. Such selection is generally made more difficult due to variations in tooth shape, position and orientation. Moreover, although taught in school, selecting custom archwire shapes for each individual patient is generally too time consuming for the dentist/orthodontist, reducing the number of patients that can be seen in a day, and increasing the fee for those patients being treated.
The present invention is directed to selection of individual patient archwires by examining the patients inner arch rather than the patients teeth. In particular, a preferred method of archwire selection comprises (a) obtaining a representation of a patient""s inner arch curve (a xe2x80x9cPIACxe2x80x9d); (b) selecting an archwire shape based at least partially on the PIAC representation; (c) making an initial selection of an archwire size based at least partially on the PIAC representation; (d) selecting a final archwire size after considering something other than the PIAC representation; and (e) selecting an archwire to be used based on the selected archwire shape and selected final archwire size. Using the PIAC rather than the occlusal or labial and buccal surfaces of the teeth for archwire shape selection promotes shaping the teeth to the shape of the jaw bone, and gives consistent facial esthetics plus better retention of the treatment correction.
It is contemplated that such a method of archwire selection may advantageously be at least partially used as part of an automated system for selecting an archwire for a patient comprising: a patient internal arch curve recorder adapted to obtain a representation of the patient""s internal arch curve; data on available archwires; and a mechanism adapted to compare an obtained representation of a patient""s internal arch curve with the data on available archwires and to identify an archwire based on any such comparison. Similarly, it may advantageously be used, at least in part, in a system for selecting and ordering an archwire for a patient comprising means for selecting an archwire from a plurality of available archwires; and means for ordering the selected archwire from an archwire supplier; wherein the selection of an archwire is based, at least in part, on all of the following factors: the patient""s jawbone structure; a dentists preferred treatment option; and the sizes and shapes of available archwires.
Various objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, along with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals represent like components.